Singletree



July 10, 1923. 1,461,430

' J. W. MONTGOMERY SINGLETREE Filed June 2'. 1922 Patented July 10, 1923.

UNITED- STATES JAMES W. MONTGOMERY, OF 'IiEIOlVLASVILLE, GEORGIA;

SINGLETREE.

H Application filed June 7, 1922. Serial No. 566,520. r

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES VARREN MONT- warrant, a citizen of .thellnited States of America, residing at Thomasville, in the county of Thomas and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Singletrees, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to single trees adapted for use on farming implements and wagons, both as a single-tree and as a breast yoke, and which is designed of metal so as to give it the maximum strength without unduly increasing its. weight.

One object of my invention is to improve the design and manner of attachment of the trace hooks, these being so! arranged that while affording a secure attachment for the trace ring or link permit the latter to be attached and detached when the hook isswung into alignment with the single-tree, and moreover the back of the hook is disposed outwardlyso as to avoid catching or injuring plants or trees.

,A further object is to simplify and improve the typeof draft hook which is adapted not only to swivel but is provided with reversely disposed hinged hook members which when lapped form a closed eye and which are intended to open by a bodily swinging movement apart of the-hooks, the importance of this arrangement being that in all positions of service the draft ring will prevent any tendency on the part of the hook sections to open up.

My invention also comprises the novel cletails of construction and arrangements of parts, which are hereinafter described and claimed and which in their preferred embodiment only are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan View of my improved single-tree or breast yoke with the trace hooks shown in operating position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail plan View of part of the single-tree showing one trace hook and the draft hook in plan with the trace hook in its open position.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the single-tree blank.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the draft hook showing its lug in plan and the hook members opened out.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

According to my invention as illustrated,

Ishow the single-tree 1 formed of a bent metal plate. The plate taperssubstantially and symmetrically from its center towards each end and the purposeofthis is to enable the single-tree as formed to have gradually widening top and bottom plates as it ape proaches its center and also to have the spacing between the top and bottomplates grad-' ually increasing from each end to the center,

thus giving an enlarged and an increased body of metal at the center of the singletree which will give the maximum strength where needed. Into the center of the opening in the single-tree I introduce the attaching, h1g2 for the draft hook. This lug is preferably a metal forging and for lightness is formed with wing-like ends 3 which are shaped to fit snugly between the top: and bottom members of the single-tree and which are connected in position between same-by the lug which is adapted to receive the swivel. shank 6 of the draft hook so} as to permit the latter to swivel therein. This shank isformed with an eye 7 which receives a bolt or rive-t 8, by means of which rivets 4. Iprovide a Cen Op 5 in I the eyes 9 onthe co-acting hook'elements 10,-v

forming the draft, hook, are pivotally con nected. to theshank eye on each side thereof.

These. draft hook members 10 are duplicateparts disposed with their hooks-pointing in opposite directions and so designed that when the hooks lap they form a closed eye for the reception of the draft ring or like.

element 11 on the draft rigging (not shown). It will be observed that when the;

hook members stand in lapped position with i the draft ring 11 engaged therein no slacking or working of the draft rigging will have any tendency to open up the drafthook eve and release the draft ri in The i draft ring opposes any opening movement of the hooks 10. The draft'hook can be opened up for the detachment of the draft ring only by'swinging the draft ring around to the side so as to clear one of the hook members 10, whereupon the other hook member 10 can be swung up and the draft ring can then be disengaged from the one memioo her that was retaining it. It follows'the-reforethatonly by bringingfthe draft ring far around to one side it is possible to separate the members 10 sufiieiently for the dis-: engagement of the draft ring and in no ordinary usage of the single-tree would it be possible for the draft ring to swing to that position. Therefore, when the draft ring is once engaged in the draft hook it cannot be accidently disengaged though it can be very readily and quickly disengaged when the operator desires, and this feature is of special importance when the single-tree is used on a wagon, where on going down hill the single-tree is loose and tends to become disengaged from the whiflietree.

At each end of the single-tree between the upper and lower members thereof I interpose the eyes 12 of trace hooks 13, which eyes are offset to the same side of the shank as the hook end 1%. In other words, the trace hooks have very much the shape of the letter C with the hook end 14 having an inturned lug or shoulder 15 and being spaced from the rivet 16 which pivotally connects the hook eye to the single-tree, so that it will just clear the end of the single-tree as it swings from open to closed position, and vice versa. The hooks stand in alignment with the single-tree when in open position for permitting the engagement and disengagement of the trace ring. The shank of the hook in cross section is of such shape as to be adapted to be inserted in a chain link if desired and to this end the shank is made flatter and wider than the ordinary trace hook which has a cross section too thick to be passed through an ordinary trace chain link. It will also be noted that I do not cut away or notch the ends of the single-tree, this being unnecessary by reason of the widely offsetposition of the trace hook eye 12 which permits the trace hook end 1 to swing past the rear edge of the single-tree and to have its neck substantially closed thereby without having to notch or weaken the single-tree. hen the trace hook is swung into alignment witlrthe single-tree its neck is open for the engagement or disengagement of the trace ring or link and therefore I avoid the objection of having to pull the trace hook back through a half circle to bring it into position to release or engage the trace. When once the trace ring has been engaged in its hook and the latter has swung to its rear or operating position, the trace ring will not become disengaged as only a wide lateral swing of the hook through approximately a 90 are will make possible toengage or disengage a trace ring, and such a movement will not accidently occur.

Though I have described with great particularity the details of the embodiment of the invention herein shown, it is not to be construed that. I am limited thereto as changes in arrangement and substitution of equivalents may be made by those skilled in the art without depaiting from the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described. my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 2- A single-tree formed of a bent metal plate having trace hooks mounted at its ends and having at its center a swivel lug mounted rigidly in the bend of the plate, a horizontal swivel pin mounted to turn in the front. end of said lug, the forward end of said pin being flattened and provided with an eye, a pair of lapped hooks having their ends flattened in a plane at right angles to the plane of the hook and perforated, and a pivot bolt connecting said hook ends to the end of the swivel pin. i

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES \V. MONTGOMERY.-

itness:

Nonnn W ELSH. 

